ILGA-Europe is launching a scheme to support efforts that enable work on communication, alliance building, and cohesion and resilience within the LGBTI movement, in order to address growing anti-LGBTI and anti-gender rhetoric and state-led anti-LGBTI attacks. 

The context

For years now, populists, religious actors, the far-right, ultra-conservative organisations, but also increasingly government actors and civil society actors are working to curtail LGBTI rights, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Their tactics are diverse and include (but are not limited to) strategic litigation, lobbying discriminatory legislation and policy, campaigning on-line, publicly presenting signatures against progressive laws, antagonising and pitting pro-rights communities against each other, producing and spreading harmful misinformation.

Anti-LGBTI actors who are present and active across Europe aim to undermine fundamental rights more broadly. Therefore, it is paramount that we pro-actively address these attacks. 

Aim of the programme

This programme aims to strengthen the capacities of LGBTI organisations to be(come) pro-active and to achieve change in the current context of growing populist anti-gender and anti-LGBTI rhetoric and state-led anti-LGBTI attacks.

The means through which the programme seeks to tackle thes challenges include: 

• Scaling-up skills, competences and capacities of the LGBTI movement in the areas of communication, alliance building, and sustaining a cohesive and resilient LGBTI movement;   
• Developing new approaches and tactics for communication work, effective campaigning, alliance building and evidence-based advocacy on the rights and needs of LGBTI people in the context of rising anti-LGBTI forces.

Projects ILGA-Europe is looking for 

ILGA-Europe acknowledges that while a lot of funding has been made available by funders for advocacy purposes it’s been challenging to find financial and human resources, time and energy to do the necessary work in communication, alliance building and on the movement’s cohesion. This scheme shifts the focus and supports projects aimed at work on communication, trust building and alliance building outside and inside the movement. ILGA believes that strengthening these aspects of work will in return create conditions under which its long-term advocacy goals are more likely to be met. Therefore, this scheme is not designed to support projects that solely address advocacy goals.

Budget & scope

ILGA-Europe can support 10 to 15 grants in the size of €12.500 to €17.500. Projects involving two or more organisations working in a partnership can increase their budget to €20.000 in total.

The project should start between 1 and 30 September 2021, and should end by 30 September 2022. The final reporting will be due no later than 15 October 2022.

Deadline and timeline

Proposals should be submitted by 23 May, Sunday, 23:59 CEST. To find out more about the criteria and how to submit your proposal, click here.

Downloads

• Download here the application form in DOCX.
• Download here the budget form in XLSX.
• Download here the call for proposals in PDF.

On 28 April, Wednesday, 13:00 CEST ILGA-Europe will hold a webinar for prospective applicants. The seminar will discuss reesthe focus, priorities and criteria of the funding opportunity. The participants will be able to ask questions about the call and the application process. To register for the webinar, click here.